Social Sciences in China (Chinese Edition)

No. 7, 2024

Global Civilization History Writing and Shared Historical Narratives

(Abstract)

Wu Xiaoqun

Throughout history, human communities have continuously created and enriched shared historical narratives. These narratives objectively exist across different stages of human civilization development and are present in the discourses of great thinkers. In this era, where globalization is a reality, it is essential for historians to consciously organize and explore the existing shared historical narratives from various stages of human civilization development in order to rebuild and strengthen the common bonds of humanity in a more convincing way. Since the 21st century, the writing of global civilizational history has continued to flourish, yet certain inevitable problems and practical predicaments have emerged. To avoid an endless cycle of formalistic analysis and false explanation, the study of global civilizational history must address the tension between globalization and localization, and between cosmopolitanism and nationalism. Therefore, finding a more inclusive model for shared historical narratives is urgently needed.